Global equity boutique opens Australian office and appoints regional MD

Global equity boutique, GQG Partners (GQG), has announced the opening of its Australian office and the appointment of Laird Abernethy as managing director of the Australia/New Zealand region and head of GQG Australia.

GQG chair, Rajiv Jain, said: "Australian and New Zealand institutional investors have been early and strong supporters of GQG. The appointment of Laird and the establishment of our first office in Australia demonstrates our long-term commitment to this market."

Prior to opening its Australian office, Florida-based GQG partnered with Pacific Current Group in the region. GQG said this partnership provided both capital and strategic distribution to the firm and was "instrumental in the development of GQG's institutional business in Australia/NZ."

Abernethy will be responsible for GQG's institutional business in Australia and will also be responsible for leading the development of the wholesale market, the firm said.

Pacific Current Group (PAC) will continue to work with GQG in Australia until the end of May 2019 with Steve Bramley, PAC's head of distribution Asia Pacific, and Abernathy working closely on the transition.

Abernethy said he was "delighted to be joining GQG" and was looking forward to building on the "strong foundation" laid by Bramley and PAC.

Prior to joining GQG, Abernethy was head of investment sales at Colonial First State and previously worked at Russell Investments and BT Financial Group.